


Right Cross

by NB_Cecil



Series: Spones [7]
Category: Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: 02x11 Friday’s Child, Bones Has Emotions, Dialogue Heavy, Emotionally Hurt Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Leonard “Bones” McCoy’s backstory, Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-04
Updated: 2020-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:54:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23018110
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NB_Cecil/pseuds/NB_Cecil
Summary: After the events of 02x11Friday’s Child, Bones tries to reconcile his actions in trying to care for Eleen with his moral code.****Content warning: mention of implied child abuse****
Relationships: James T. Kirk & Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Joanna McCoy & Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Jocelyn McCoy & Leonard "Bones" McCoy, Leonard "Bones" McCoy & Spock, Leonard “Bones” McCoy & Eleen
Series: Spones [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1563289
Comments: 6
Kudos: 22





	Right Cross

Leonard McCoy had never been one for physical violence. Shouting and storming off, yes. But throwing punches? He preferred to leave that to the security officers. And so it was with great reluctance and regret that he’d hit Eleen with a right cross, but he really was out of options. She’d repeatedly slapped him every time he tried to examine her, and she really was in dire need of medical attention.

____

“I hit her _hard_ , Jim.”

“Hard enough to shock her out of her resistance.”

“Yes, but...” McCoy chewed his lower lip. “She was pregnant, for Christ’s sake—in labour!”

“I maintain there’s no right way to hit a woman, Bones, but under the circumstances—“

“Don’t try to justify this, Jim, please.”

“I’m just trying to help.” Kirk threw up his hands in frustration.

McCoy scowled in to his bourbon glass, teeth worrying some more at his lip. 

____

“Spock, I made a promise a long time ago.” Spock arched an eyebrow and continued to stare at the computer screen. Unperturbed by his silence, McCoy sat down and continued. “You see, I promised myself I’d never raise my fist to another life form outside of self-defence.”

Spock switched off the screen and turned to face McCoy. “And you broke that promise today,” he said.

“Yes, I did.” McCoy twisted his fingers together in his lap. “And I feel awful about it.”

“And you are compelled to talk about your feelings.”

“Well, yes, it’s a human predilection, Spock. I’m sorry if it bothers you.”

“It doesn’t bother me, Leonard. Please, do continue.”

“Did I ever tell you about my ex-wife?”

“I was unaware you were ever married.”

“Yes, well. We have a daughter, Joanna. She’s grown now. Lives on Mantilles. Anyway,” McCoy folded his arms across his chest, “one day I got a call from the school. She had bruises and she was saying her ribs hurt. I usually dropped her at school on the way to the way to work—I had a little medical practice on the other side of town—but I had some house calls to make, so I left early and Jocelyn was trying to get her dressed, but she wasn’t having it. They were arguing, shouting, but I had to go, and... and...” he trailed off, frowning, and was silent for a few seconds. Spock waited. “Anyway, Jos said she fell down the stairs, but I do wonder, you know...?”

“I do know, yes.” Spock nodded, once.

“Two cracked ribs.” McCoy pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them, balancing precariously on the narrow swivel chair. “Two weeks later I took her to Centaurus. Left her with my sister.”

“A logical decision, under the circumstances.”

“And then I signed up for Starfleet.”

**Author's Note:**

> I HC Bones (and Joanna) as a DV survivor, which is why he both wears his heart on his sleeve and is incredibly cagey about his private life—it’s a defence mechanism. Apologies to anyone who has a more sympathetic view of Jocelyn. She isn’t a monster—few people are—but she has her reasons for why she‘s like she is; I only skimmed the surface here.


End file.
